Afraid to Be
by greysnyper
Summary: Greysnyper's opinion on how Teen Titans 19 might end.


**Author's Notes:** Yo. This is the first time I've posted my commentary at the start of a story. Usually I like the end. Then, you can read the story with a fresh mind and then hear my opinion muck it up. But, this is complicated. I'd like to explain.

First off, I don't think anyone will understand this in the least if they have not read at least Teen Titans comics #16-18. When DC put forth "Identity Crisis", at the start of comic 2, I was convinced that they were going to kill Jack. And I had a dozen theories on what could happen. By the end of Teen Titans #18, same thing. I started thinking of how comic #19 (which hasn't been released as of this posting I dun think) will conclude. And I like my version. It's probably nothing close to what will happen. Nevertheless, my take.

If you want to read this regardless of not owning or reading the current Titans comic arc, here is what you must know. (Though Bart sums it up later...) Kon got pulled into the future and shortly after, the rest of the Titans followed him. They fought with the Legion but on the way back home, they accidently ended up ten years in their own future. And it was not a pretty future. Tim/Robin had become Batman and he had resorted to guns and killing off Gotham's worst. Kon/Superboy was Superman, but very violent. Raven had gone dark. Starfire was missing. Etc. Out of all the characters, only Bart/Kid Flash grew up to be a good guy. The Flash. When the Titans discover the badness of their future selves, they try to escape but Tim gets captured by Batman.

Here is how I think they might all get home.

-Greysnyper

* * *

He had hid the machine three years ago. Though the others didn't remember him using it to bring them home those ages past, he didn't risk their curiosity or their controlling natures wanting to possess the device. It had, after all, saved them before. From the circumstances of their misadventure. From themselves. Now , he did not regret moving the thing from its own personal museam. _His museam_. Because they were back. Their past selves. And they would need to use it. And if Batman did remember even just a little bit, it was up to Flash to make sure history repeated itself. Or, he could hope this incident repeated itself, but the others would change. That this would be the last time history repeated itself. 

"So you can take us home." Starfire said, and to Bart, she looked exactly how he remembered her. Not anything like the last time he had seen her. He tried _not_ to remember that.

Proud. Strong. Fearless.

Tim had changed that. Tim had, in a way, changed them all. Bart knew better than the others though. He could look at Robin, their Robin, and still trouble over the differences. He knew that in Young Justice, Robin was a control freak. But here, he was different. And now, Batman commanded them all.

"I can Kory," he answered. "I put the treadmil away in case this ever happened again."

Conner pushed past Kid Flash, Wonder Girl reaching out in some semblance of pulling the boy back.

Trying. Failing.

"We're not leaving until we get Tim back!"

It was astounding, seeing an S-shield concerned over Tim. Flash could not help but smile bitterly at the sight. When Superman worried, it was hope that Tim had fallen. But as their leader had stated on more than one occassion: 'Batman never dies'.

"They won't hurt him," Raven reiterated. "If they do, then their Tim will suffer as well."

And Victor-both of them-caught the nervous shift and click of jaw Flash displayed at that.

"What?" they unisoned. Kory and Raven ghosted a grin at that, but directed their eyes to Flash. All eyes did.

"See...it's like this," he tried to explain. "The Tim in our time is seriously messed up."

Superboy snorted. "Not half as bad as my future self. You all saw what he did!"

"No," Bart said, "Tim is the reason your future self is like that. "

Silent stares all around. For once, Conner's eyes were wider than Kid Flash's. His. "Superman and Wonder Woman don't like Batman. They may be on a team but if anything does happen to Bats, all the better to them."

Kid Flash raised his hand. It was maybe the first patient act the boy had shown since arrival. "Excuse me, but we all saw Batman too. He's freakier than, well, our Batman. Batman wouldn't let anything happen to himself because he's just too go-"

By the shocked look on Bart's face as he figured it out, and mirrored the others, Flash knew that realization was a bitch.

"They-I wouldn't..." Kon breathed. "Tell me I don't-"

If Kon looked like his eyes were on fire, Kory's was doubly ablaze. "Timothy has nothing to do with this."

"Hey!" Victor announced, drowning out their Cyborg and commanding attention. That same commanding that had brought the Titans East this far beneath Batman's searching gaze. "Nothing bad is going to happen. Flash remembers, so we follow his lead."

For the second time this evening, Flash had all the stares. "Right. To the cave."

* * *

"Druella...kills Alfred." 

There were only distant bat calls to answer. There had only been distant bat calls to answer for the last two hours.

"She discovered who Tim was. Who Robin was. Tracked me back to the manor and, well. Alfred may have been good, but he did not stand a chance. One night before this, one night...twelve hours, I could have stopped her. But it would have meant stopping her for good. And you would have been proud of yourself that moment, restraining. Telling yourself it wasn't worth it."

The masked eyes broke from their hour long study of the cases. Broke for just a second to steal a glance. See if there was truth to be read in the cowl. It was a reaction.

"Telling yourself it wasn't worth Alfred's life."

The quiet that lingered didn't last long. It was different now. It demanded Robin respond. He did so. Tactfully. "You and I both know you shouldn't be speaking of my future."

Batman shifted in the chair. The monitors blinked methodically behind him. For a split second, he looked like Bruce. But the gun was right there. Right to the side. It hadn't left Batman's side since they got back. "A lot has happened. More than I have told you. It's understandable that I am who you see. And it wouldn't be logical...would be foolish even, if I had not changed. Grown up."

Tim tensed in his own seat. "No. You _gave_ up. You _quit_ trying. And that's what makes us different. I don't care if you say I'm going to change. I'm not. And the Titans won't either and we'll be going back to our time, whether you help or not."

And if by cue, there was an echo. Batman frowned. Tim gripped the side of his chair, preparing to initiate one of two moves. The monitor over Batman's head had shown a brief clip of Beast Boy. And then Raven must have hid them. Too engrossed in explaining himself, Batman hadn't seemed to have noticed.

"Tsht...Batman. We have located the Titans and Flashhhht..-n route to the Cave. ETA-"

Wonder Woman was cut off by the walls shattering. Harvey's penny crashed to the ground, taking one of the display cases to an object Tim couldn't identify. He didn't care much for he was running. Kon was yelling. Raven had half a chant going. Partways through 'Azarath'. And Tim was running harder, seeing option two being played by Batman. Robin was trained by the worlds greatest detective. How could he not read the signs of distrust screaming between the lines of Batman's stories. Two hours had revealed how much Flash's betrayal mattered. How it meant that Superman would be next. That Superman needed out of the picture. Too dangerous. A threat. And it was simple physics. Batman hadn't broken Tim into a million pieces in the graveyard because that, would have broken Batman. And if Batman couldn't do so to Superman...Tim was running.

Kon was yelling, "Robin! I'm-They're going to try to use you-"

Batman had only one bullet in that gun. Tim was sure of it. Tim practised everyday with his weapon. Tim knew that if he were Batman, he'd only need one bullet. And it sure as hell wasn't meant for him.

"Metrio-"

"-to off Batman!"

For Superboy. Faster than a speeding bullet? For the first time, Tim was. He had told the room, told Kon, told himself that he would never be like Batman. And Kon was the only one to admit that he was nothing like Batman. It wasn't so bad really. He hardly felt the bullet at all.

By the time Raven's spell completed, Wonder Woman's ETA had come to pass and there was a Superman with glowing eyes charging the room. Screaming like Kon had been, about Batman trying to kill him. And Kon was screaming for a different reason. By the chairs, Batman was sprawled over clutching a bullet wound he didn't have. But he did.

* * *

When you seek the greatest evil, you will find only yourself.

* * *

"Oh Tim-fuck!" 

Kon hadn't even considered that he would be targeted. The powerplay, or rivalry, or revenge between their future selves...he had only thought that he was the evil one. He was the psycho who would destroy them. Therefore, he had to get to Robin before Superman did. And that required speed and not stealth. Now, all along, Batman had wanted him dead. Had the gun right there and ready. And like always, Tim was the smart one who figured it out.

Tim was...

Tim wasn't moving.

His first thought was to get the bullet out. Cautarize the wound with his eyes. Have Raven heal him. Have Cassandra beg the gods for a cure. Ask Bart for medical facts?

No. The bullet couldn't stay there. And Kon couldn't-shuddered, couldn't touch it.

"Wha-I can't get it out!"

Kid Flash's glove pulled his hand away. "Don't panic!" he warbled. "He's, you'll crush him. It's...we'll get him home."

Bart's eyes on Bart. "We go home right. He gets to live right?"

"If we hurry," Flash added, catching Raven as they were released from transport. "You'll have to do the running though. I can't come with you."

Victor gave Kon a tug. "Going back will reverse the injury."

"My other self is close behind," Raven added, accepting Starfire's arm to share her weight. "Kon, your fear is like a beacon."

"Shut up then!" Superboy snapped, still holding the Boy Wonder, though he teetered visably from the closeness to the bullet. "Let's get the hell home!"

Kid Flash didn't need to be told twice. The blood on the floor, his gloves, this entire timeline, was enough.

* * *

Kon stared at the ceiling with a frown. He felt exhausted. The sort of weakness present when one cried too hard. Not that Kon ever had a good cry-when Rose said goodbye to Jack...-but, he still felt strange. 

"You look pale." Raven mentioned when Kon stepped into the kitchen.

"I've got a headache." he muttered and took an orange from the bowl beside Raven.

Headache or not, Conner still caught the familiar silent tread of boots and swish of cape. "Tim."

"If you're getting headaches, maybe it's related to your X-ray or heat vision."

Tim had a case of bad hair currently too. Conner almost had the strange urge to comment on seeing Tim look so well though.

"You're looking well."

Kon dropped his jaw as Bart materialized between the three Titan. He was looking at Tim.

Robin shrugged. "Ha ha. The Boy Wonder has bed hair. Ever look in a mirror Bart?"

Bart frowned and glanced at Kon. Kon stared at Bart wondering if the kid had inherited mind powers. "How'd you do that?"

"Do what Supes?"

"Know to say 'looking well Tim.'?"

Bart blinked in rapid succession. "But...he is. After last night."

Raven tilted her head. "I was not aware you two were 'involved' last night."

"Bart?" Tim inquired. "What are you talking about?"

Kid Flash twitched uncomfortably at the stares and the silence, and then vanished. He reappared in a heartbeat with some paper.

"OksoSuperboygotkidnappedandweallwenttofighttheFearsomeFivehundredandIsawmymomandwesavedtheuniversebutKonscrewedupwithsendingushomeandweendedupinourfuturewhereeveryonewasscarybutmeandIalsohadacoolgirlfriendbutTimgotlostandwewantedtosavehimbeforeSupermankilledhimbutBatmantriedtoshootKoninsteadandDeathstrokewasagitbutwemadeithomeanywayswithsecondstospareinsavingTim'slifebutyouallsuckattimetravelandpassedoutsoIputeveryonetobedandfinishedthepizzasinthefridge."

He held up the paper complete with concept map to show them.

"Great story." Superboy muttered, wishing for an Advil or for some quiet. Neither he'd get with Tim or Bart around.

"Creative writing right?" Robin asked. "If you're going to write school assigments based on your life here though, could you please not mention me?"

Raven placed a hand on Bart's temple. "You believe this. Do you feel well Bart?"

Bart blinked. Again in rapid succession. "Great. You all don't remember."

A voice drawled out from the doorway. "I remembered you mentioning you ate the last of my pizza!"

"Ooops."

And as if by routine, Raven, Superboy and Robin stepped aside to let a morphing cheetah spring between them towards a fleeing Speedster. Bart made a mental note to prove to them all that they had indeed timetraveled...if he didn't find anything interesting to do first.


End file.
